• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

I Need Coffee

By Coffee Fans, For Coffee Fans!

  • Coffee Brewing Guide
  • About INeedCoffee
You are here: Home / Coffee History / Ethiopian Coffee

Ethiopian Coffee

November 1, 2007 by Chris Arnold

Ethiopian Coffee

When most people talk about Ethiopia, they immediately think of coffee. Maybe you have heard that Ethiopia was the birthplace of coffee, or at least the discovery of it. We will discuss the Ethiopian lore of goat herder Kaldi, the Ethiopian coffee regions and all their wonderful flavors, and the Ethiopia Coffee Ceremony – still alive after hundreds of years.

Going back in time, The Ethiopian Kaffa region was the southwestern side of Ethiopia and its capital city was Jimma. The Ethiopian word for coffee is Bunna, Buni, or Bun. So you can see how Kaffa Bun, became Coffee Bean.

Kaldi and His Goats

This is just one variation on the Kaldi story: More than a thousand years ago, Kaldi, an Abyssinian goat herder saw his goats acting strangely. They were said to almost be dancing on their hind legs. Upon further investigation, he saw they were eating red cherries from some wild bushes. Intrigued, he tried some of the berries and soon knew why his goats were dancing about.

He gathered several berries, took them to his wife, and she proclaimed them from God. She sent him off to the monastery to see the monks. The head monk proclaimed them the work of the devil. Throwing them onto the fire, the monastery soon filled with the aroma of roasting coffee, and the monks came out of the woodwork to find the source.

These monks salvaged the coffee beans, and in an effort to stamp out the embers, the monks crushed them. In an effort to preserve them, they were placed in a large pitcher with hot water. The monks drank the hot brew that night and vowed they would drink the concoction every day. It seemed like a perfect remedy for those late-night devotion sessions.

There are other legends that go back even further, claiming that the berries were chewed on raw. While it would be nice to have one story that was historically accurate, the reality is probably that all stories contain a lot of fiction, sprinkled with a little truth. But why spoil such romantic tales?

Kaldi
Kaldi

Ethiopian Coffee Regions

Today, there are many regions in Ethiopia that produce unique tasting coffees. They are all Arabica strains, just like the ones Kaldi found. No robusta here! They are sometimes wet-processed (usually called washed), and sometimes dry-processed (usually indicated by a “DP”). The dry-processed beans tend to be more fruity.

Ethiopia Map
Ethiopia Map

The Ethiopian Harrar coffee region is becoming well-known for its fruity, blueberry aroma, as well as spice and licorice.

The Ethiopian Sidamo coffee region (where we get Yirgacheffes) is also well-known. Some notable examples are Sidamo, Idido Misty Valley (IMV), Lekempti, and your garden variety Yirgacheffe, also spelled Yergecheffe.

The Sidamo Dry Process (DP) is known for its fruit punch characteristics. The IMV is known for its raspberry and strawberry overtones. Lekempti can have mango, tangerine, citrus, and tropical fruit characteristics. Your standard Yirgacheffe is traditionally known for lemon and citrus.

Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony

The Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony is part of Ethiopian Life, it is lengthy, and it is beautiful. A sign of hospitality and respect, a visitor is almost always invited to share in the ceremony, regardless of the hour.

Usually conducted by a lone young woman, typically in colorful traditional garb. First, the Jebena, (an oddly-shaped dark clay coffee pot) is placed in a bed of grass. The roasting is done in a pan over a wood or charcoal stove, along with the ubiquitous smell of incense. The Ethiopian coffee beans are stirred in the pan, while the chaff is being whisked away. Once roasted, the coffee Ethiopian coffee is ground in a pestle and mortar. It is then added to the Jabena with hot water and then strained several times through a fine filter. Some people roast very light and others roast darker.

Jabena
Jabena

The resulting coffee is served in small teacups. The skilled woman can pour a stream of coffee from as much as 2 feet, into that tiny little cup. Much of the coffee in Ethiopia is served with sugar, but some rural areas actually serve it with salt. Either way, you will not find milk here. You may also be served some local snack food favorites to go along with your coffee.

The ceremony is actually not just for guests or special occasions. Generally, it takes place 3 times daily. It is like the western water cooler. A place to discuss the tritest, to the most serious. If you are invited inside a home to partake, there is a 3 cup rule. Drinking any less is considered impolite.

Making the coffee can take as long as 1 hour. Drinking it can be another hour as well. What a relaxing change from the “Get in, get out” mentality of Starbucks!

Conclusion

Next time you see an Ethiopian coffee offered at your local Starbucks, maybe you can tell the Barista a thing or two about the origins of coffee – whether it be fact or folklore!

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Chris Arnold
Chris Arnold
Chris is the creator of Two Bit History. You can follow Two Bit History on YouTube.
Chris Arnold
Latest posts by Chris Arnold (see all)
  • Coffee Grind Chart - September 6, 2020
  • Clever Coffee Dripper Review - March 4, 2019
  • The Coffee Martini (3 Recipes) - December 15, 2018

This article first appeared on INeedCoffee.com. Filed Under: Coffee History

Primary Sidebar

Search

Connect

  • RSS
  • Twitter

Newsletter

Sign up here to receive our newsletter delivered by Follow.it.

Recent Posts

  • Life is Coffee Comics #41
  • How to Brew Vietnamese Iced Coffee
  • Life is Coffee Comics #40
  • Vietnamese Iced Coffee Brewing Tutorial by Inanimate Objects
  • Espresso Carrot Cake Recipe

Popular Posts

  • Coffee Grind Chart
  • French Press Coffee Tutorial
  • The Upside Down AeroPress Coffee Brewing Tutorial
  • Stovetop Espresso Brewing Tutorial
  • How to Brew Vietnamese Iced Coffee
  • Cold Brew Coffee is Not Rocket Science
  • Coffee Brewing Guide
  • Brewing Espresso in a Moka
  • Chemex Coffee Brewing – History and Tutorial
  • Making Green Bean Extract Beverages at Home
  • Making Cold Brew Coffee in a French Press
  • Buying a French Press – Picking the Right One

Sections

  • Brewing Coffee
  • Cafe Culture
  • Coffee and Health
  • Coffee Business
  • Coffee Comics
  • Coffee History
  • Coffee People
  • Espresso
  • Grinding Coffee
  • Recipes
  • Roasting Coffee
  • Tea
Copyright © 1999-2023 INeedCoffee is a project by coffee fanatic Michael Allen Smith. User Sitemap | Privacy Policy